Picture hook



April 27, 1943. L. E. FREY 2,317,368

PICTURE HOOK Filed July 9, 1940 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 27, 1943PICTURE HOOK Louis E. Frey, Albany, N. Y., assignor, by mesneassignments, to Norman A. Henderson, Albany,

Application July 9, 1940, Serial No. 344,539

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device for supporting pictures andother articles and more particularly to a hook for supporting picturesand the like on walls.

In the normal practice of hanging articles such as pictures, a cord orwire which is affixed to the picture, or to the frame in which it ismounted, is supported from a hook suitably anchored to the wall. Hookdevices heretofore employed are unsatisfactory for the reason that theydo not prevent slippage between the cord or wire and the hook device.Accordingly, the picture suspended from such a hook device tends to tipout of its proper position.

Certain of the prior hook devices are provided with means for setting upresistance to slippage. However, this resistance to slippage dependsupon the friction between the hook device and the cord or wire and isnot efiective in preventing the tipping of the pictures.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved picture hookconstruction which will be free from the above-mentioned and otherdisadvantages, and which will be especially simple and durable inconstruction, efiicient in operation and inexpensive in cost.

In one aspect my invention comprises th provision in a hook device of aplurality of tapered slots, the upper edges of which are rounded. Theuse of tapered slots permits wedging of the cord or wire therein, theweight of the picture assisting in maintaining the cord or Wire in theslots and efiectively preventing any slippage. The rounded edges of theslots serve to guide the cord or wire into the slots.

Other objects of this invention, together with the details ofconstruction and combination of parts, will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description and will be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing wherein the pre ferred embodiments of myinvention are shown:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of a hook device constructed inaccordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of my device shown attached by asuitable nail to a wall, and

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a hook device made in accordancewith my invention modified only in the supporting structure for the hookproper.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference numeral 4 designates a wallor other supporting structure to which the hook device is attached bymeans of a suitable nail 5.

In one form, my hook device comprises a web which is twisted at B,substantially midway between its ends to form a portion 1 and a portion8, the planes of which are at right-angles to each other. The portion 1is adapted to establish anchorage to the wall 4 and is disposed atright-angles to the face of the wall, i. e., the edge of portion 1 isadapted to contact the face of the wall. The upper edge of portion 1 iscurled over, as shown at 9, to define an inclined passage-way adaptedfor the reception of the nail 5.

The portion 8 of the web is bent to form a hook generally indicated byreference numeral 1 l. The hook is provided with integral side pieces I2, bent up into a vertical plane, which have tapered notches I3 for thereception of the cord or Wire l4 of the picture being suspended. Theupper edges [5 of the notches are rounded on to facilitate the guidingof the cord or Wire into the notch.

In Figure 3 there is shown a modification of the web for supporting thehook H in which no twist is placed in the web I6. The upper portion llof web I6 is bent and provided with suitable openings to receive thenail 5 for anchorage to the wall or other support.

It will be seen that the tapered slot construction of my improved hookmakes it virtually impossible for the cord or wire to slip after it isplaced in the slots, thus preventing any tipping of the picture due toslippage of the cord or wire.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is merelygiven by way of illustration and that many variations may be madetherein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A hook device of the character described comprising a Web andprovided at one end forming the top of said device with nail receivingmeans whereby said device is adapted to be secured to a wall, said webat the other end being bent outwardly and upwardly to form a hook openat the top, and said hook being partially enclosed at the sides byintegral portions extending up wardly from the bottom thereof andprovided with vertically extending tapered slots adapted to receive andirictionally to hold a picture wire against slippage when wedgedtherein.

2. A hook device of the character described comprising an elongated Webof comparatively thin metal provided at one end with nail receivingmeans whereby it may be secured to a wall, and at the other end with twooppositely disposed, substantially parallel portions outstanding fromthe edges of said web; each of said portions being provided with avertically extending tapered slot open at the top, and said slots beingrelatively positioned simultaneously to receive a picture wire andfrictionally to engage the same when wedged therein.

'3. A picturehanger provided with nail receiving means at the topadapting it to be secured to a wall and having at the bottom awire-receivin hook open at the top but substantially closed at thesides; the closed sides of said hook being provided with verticallyextending, transversely aligned, tapered slots open at the top andadapted simultaneously to receive and frictionally engage a picture wirewhen pulled downwardly into said hook.

LOUIS E. FREY.

